The idea of slowing down and getting in touch with my feelings was foreign to me. It brought to mind visions of hippies chanting in a room full of crystals, candles, and incense.

We all know that after the solstice, the daylight gradually stretches, as the hours of darkness shrink. But, this year, many of us feel trapped in that shrinking darkness, struggling with pain, loss, and loneliness.

How can I complain the way I really want to without being that “Karen” everyone wants to avoid? To varying degrees, COVID has knocked all of us off balance. Would a little kvetching be so terrible?

I went through hours of training, learning how to handle even the most skittish cats. But, for me, it wasn't just about caring for the cats—it was about caring for me.

An old Irish proverb tells us: "It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” Being a people-person, myself, the first few months of lockdown made me just a little crazy. We all know that Zoom just isn’t the same as face-to-face time.